In Part 4 of That They May Have Life, we continue our morality series by moving through the Fourth Commandment’s reach into civil society and then turning to the Fifth Commandment: “You shall not kill.”

We begin with Jesus’ teaching from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5), where the Lord deepens the commandment beyond the external act of murder to the interior roots of anger, contempt, and vengeance. From there we explore why every human life is sacred, what the Church teaches about abortion, euthanasia, suicide, and scandal, and how Catholics are called to protect life with both truth and mercy.

We also address legitimate defense, the responsibilities of civil authority, the Christian duty toward the common good, and the Church’s role in making moral judgments when fundamental human rights or the salvation of souls is at stake. The session concludes by previewing the next series on the sacraments.

• Matthew 5:21–48 (anger, purity of heart, truthfulness, mercy, love of enemies)
• Luke 10:27 (love of God and neighbor)
• Matthew 22:37–40 (the greatest commandments)
• Mark 1:15 (repent and believe in the Gospel)
• Matthew 10:37 (loving Christ above family ties)
• Matthew 22:21 (render to Caesar…)
• Acts 5:29 (we must obey God rather than men)

• Recap: beatitude, repentance, law and grace, the Decalogue
• The Fourth Commandment and the “domestic church”
• Civil society, authority, and conscientious objection
• Witness of Blessed Franz Jägerstätter and A Hidden Life
• The Fifth Commandment: why human life is sacred
• Abortion: truth, mercy, and the Church’s positive duty to support mothers and families
• Euthanasia vs. allowing natural death (ordinary vs. extraordinary means)
• Suicide: the objective evil of the act, diminished culpability, and Christian hope
• Scandal, gossip/slander, bodily integrity, organ donation, and peace
• Legitimate defense, punishment, just war principles, and the death penalty as a prudential judgment

• Ask: Where do anger, contempt, or vengeance take root in my heart?
• Protect life with both conviction and compassion—especially by helping people in crisis
• Pray for leaders and seek the common good without losing charity
• Remember: the Lord’s call is not perfectionism, but conversion toward love

Next week we begin a new series on the sacraments, starting with Baptism and Confirmation.

On the Second Sunday of Lent, the Church gives us the Transfiguration—every year—because we need what the disciples needed: hope. Fr. Will unpacks why Jesus brings Peter, James, and John up the mountain, and how this glimpse of glory strengthens them for the Passion and the “scandal of the Cross.”

From there, the homily connects the Gospel to the Lenten series on the deadly sins, focusing on sloth (acedia): not simply laziness, but a spiritual lethargy that comes from forgetting what we were made for. When we lose sight of heaven, we grow indifferent, distracted, and even frantic—pouring energy into what doesn’t last while neglecting our true mission.

The antidote is zeal: remembering that every Christian is called to holiness, and that our vocation is lived out in concrete love—prayer, conversion, and daily sacrifice, especially toward the people closest to us.

• The Transfiguration strengthens hope: Jesus shows both who He is and what we are made for.
• Jesus prepares the disciples “against the scandal of the Cross.”
• Sloth (acedia) is not merely laziness—it's sorrow at spiritual joy and forgetfulness of our mission.
• Zeal is the opposite of sloth: remembering our vocation and investing in love of God and neighbor.
• Holiness begins “here”: in our homes, our parish, and the relationships God has entrusted to us.

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EPISODE OVERVIEW

In this first installment of our Lenten series on The Seven Deadly Sins, Deacon Chris explores the spiritual roots of gluttony and greed. Through the lens of Genesis and the Temptation of Jesus in the desert, we discover that the real battle is not about food or money — it is about trust.

Temptation begins when we believe God is small. From there, we grasp for substitutes.

This episode challenges us to examine:

How we use comfort to numb deeper hunger

How we cling to control instead of trusting the Father

How Lent can enlarge our desire for God

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Hunger is not sinful — it can be holy.

Gluttony is the refusal to be empty.

Greed is the fear of dependence.

The devil tempts us to live as orphans.

Jesus overcomes temptation by remaining the Son.

Freedom begins with a pause and a simple prayer.

PRACTICAL CHALLENGE

Before reaching for your default comfort, pray:

“Jesus, what am I really hungry for?”

Wait five minutes.

Reclaim your freedom.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

Genesis 3:1–7
Romans 5:12–19
Matthew 4:1–11